Road to 2030: Bridging the gender divide in development

 

By Francis Kiwanga

Executive Director Foundation for Civil Society

Summary

·         According to a TGNP report, Women Representation in Leadership and Decision Making in Tanzania (2021), women are under-represented in central government ministries. Women’s representation in executive positions is 27.27 percent, while men’s is 72.73 percent.

I recently began reflecting on the future of gender advancement in Tanzania, gauging through our 60-year history as a nation to learn about where we are and what the future we envision for gender equality entails as the clock ticks towards 2030.

Historically, women have taken an active role in decision-making processes in Tanzania. At a time of scarce female participation and voices, women played an integral role in the struggle for independence. After Tanganyika gained independence, a quota system for women’s representation in Parliament was implemented, with six out of 73 Members of Parliament (7.6 per cent) being women. In recent years, the ratio of women Members of Parliament has continued to grow steadily on the basis of affirmative action through the Constitution’s “special seats for women” arrangement.

Over the years, the government has signed numerous international agreements on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the reduction of gender inequality. The agreements include the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) of 1979; the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPA) of 1995; the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights Gender and Development of 2003 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

These agreements have contributed to shifting the trajectory of the promotion and protection of women’s rights and have supported the formulation of special national laws, policies and other institutional mechanisms to advance women’s welfare since 1979. The World Bank (2022) reports that the expansion of women’s economic opportunities has contributed to Tanzania’s sustained growth over the past 20 years, which recently culminated in the country’s transition from low-income to lower middle-income status.

Despite gender equality advancements and progress made over the decades, more needs to be done to challenge gender inequalities. If we are not intentional, we might not achieve the sustainable development goal of gender equality by 2030.

We need to go beyond affirmative action. There is an under-representation of women in top decision-making positions. Women’s representation influences policy choices and reduces corruption. It also ensures women’s voices are heard and their issues fairly recognised, as studies show that women legislators are more likely than men to address women’s interests. Despite progress in various areas, women continue to face marginalisation and negative stereotypes when it comes to holding positions of power, particularly in the realm of political engagement.

According to a TGNP report, Women Representation in Leadership and Decision Making in Tanzania (2021), women are under-represented in central government ministries. Women’s representation in executive positions is 27.27 percent, while men’s is 72.73 percent.

Deliberate measures are needed to close gaps in women’s representation, from the Cabinet and corporate boardrooms to local level leadership, as well as those in science and technology that reinforce huge inequalities in the digital space.

Concerted efforts are needed for the realisation of women’s full potential so that it plays a pivotal role in development. A radical approach to challenge patriarchal systems must be deployed to increase women’s representation in decision-making processes. The patriarchal system of power and inequality inevitably leads to unequal social, economic and political opportunities and access in favour of men and operates to the detriment of women and other marginalised groups. This system of inequality promotes and instils behaviour that prevent women from attaining civil, political and socioeconomic rights.

Gender-transformative action is essential as these interventions create opportunities for individuals to actively challenge gender norms, promote positions of social and political influence for women in communities and address power inequities among persons of different genders. These include, notably, gender based-violence, limited access to education, healthcare, agricultural lands, waterpoints, assured livelihoods and adequate shelter.

That said, our future in achieving gender equality and empowerment is promising. At the forefront is Tanzania’s first female President, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, who represents a social transformation of the perception of women in leadership and increased trust in women’s capabilities. There are currently nine women in the Cabinet and several others hold high-ranking posts in the government

We must begin now to find ways of speeding up women’s agenda at national and local levels in all aspects of development. We cannot move forward if women’s potential remains untapped.